Charlotte City Council Takes GOP Deal On Controversial Law Affecting LGBT Protections

People made it clear to city council they shouldn't take the House Bill 2 deal back in September.

Michael Tomsic

Originally published on December 21, 2016 2:56 pm

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Charlotte City Council voted unanimously Monday to repeal LGBT protections the city adopted in February. Council members say they've come around to a deal Republican state leaders have been offering to get rid of House Bill 2, which invalidated Charlotte's protections anyway.

The ACC pulled tournament games, the NBA pulled its All-Star Game, and PayPal and Deutsche Bank canceled job growth in North Carolina – all because of House Bill 2.

Republican lawmakers called a special session in March to pass that law in response to Charlotte adding LGBT protections. Charlotte's changes included allowing transgender people to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity.

Some Republicans have said they're willing to repeal the law if Charlotte gets rid of its changes first. In September, Democratic city councilman John Autry called that "circular logic." But Monday he voted for Charlotte to act first.

"With HB 2 in place, we have no protections - none," he says." As long as HB 2 remains on the books, there is no path forward."

He also points out there will soon be a new governor, Democrat Roy Cooper. Autry says he's confident in Cooper's commitment to working for LGBT protections after the city council and the state legislature hit the reset button.

Governor Pat McCrory says he'll call a special session for the legislature to hold up its end of the bargain.

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State lawmakers will meet today for a special legislative session to consider repealing House Bill 2, the controversial state law that requires people to use the bathroom corresponding to the sex listed on their birth certificate.